Michael Kors: "American designers sometimes feel like the stepchild to Europe, and meanwhile, you travel the world and people are wearing sportswear. I don't see a lot of people wearing ballgowns in any city. I couldn't be happier and more proud to be referred to as all-American and a New Yorker." Kors, 50, will become one of the younger winners of the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award next Monday at the CFDA Awards. [WWD]

It's by design that Iman, who is set to receive the Fashion Icon award at the CFDAs, doesn't attend fashion shows. "God help me — I don't want to go," she says. "One reason I have lasted this long is I've never been overexposed and overstayed my welcome. If I went to fashion shows, people would think, ‘Oh, poor thing.' That air of mystery is my revenge." [WWD]

Just to recap: Alexander McQueen will posthumously receive a special award from the CFDA, which will be presented by Sarah Jessica Parker. The accessories designer of the year award nominees are Proenza Schouler and Alexis Bittar. The women's wear designer of the year award nominees are Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Wang. The Swarovski award for women's wear, which rewards emerging talent, will go to either Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu, or Joseph Altuzarra. This is the first year that certain fashion bloggers were invited to vote on the CFDAs as members of the press. [WWD, WWD, WWD]

And Joan Collins, the current face of Alexis Bittar, will attend. [P6]

That's not the only fashion-related awards gala happening: this year's AmFAR awards will honor Jean-Paul Gaultier and Ricky Martin. [P6]

Lawyers for accused war criminal Charles Taylor are contesting the prosecution's motion to subpoena Naomi Campbell, in order to compel her to testify about blood diamonds she received as a gift from Taylor in 1997. Although the prosecution tried to have Mia Farrow's statement about the incident, which she witnessed, entered into evidence, the judge ruled it to be hearsay. Since then, new witnesses have come forward, and prosecutors say that a subpoena is their only option as Campbell is not willing to testify voluntarily. Prosecutors are trying to tie Taylor to the trade in conflict diamonds during the late 1990s in order to prove that he both used the diamond proceeds to pay for weapons and training for rebels who fought a bloody war in Sierra Leone, and as payment for his services to the rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front. The defense says that because the prosecution rested its case 15 months ago, no new witnesses should be called. Defense lawyer Courtenay Griffith said calling Campbell to testify would be "an obvious publicity stunt." [Guardian]

Gisele Bündchen enjoys high-fashion credibility, working for clients like Dior and Versace, but also has amassed a mountain of mass-market endorsements both in the U.S. and Europe, and especially, in her native Brazil. There, she shills lingerie, the C&A chain store, flip-flops, Pantene, digital TV, and dozens of other local apparel brands. [TDB]

Lily Cole celebrated the end of her exams by spending the day by the river with friends at Cambridge. [Vogue UK]

Zara opened a nearly 20,000 sq. ft. outpost in Delhi. It is India's first. [Independent]

Matthew Williamson C.E.O. and co-founder Joseph Velosa was studying philosophy when he met Williamson and became interested in the business of fashion. Williamson's company is introducing a sub-brand called Matthew Williamson Escape, which will focus on swimwear and caftans. Presumably these will be less expensive than the swimwear and caftans Williamson already offers at such exorbitant prices. [Vogue UK]

French Marie Claire published a swimwear editorial featuring plus-size models. And the world did not stop turning, somehow. [ONTD]